


The Same Old Story

by ShowMeAHero



Series: Still Here Tomorrow [1]
Category: Daredevil (TV), Marvel, The Defenders (Marvel TV)
Genre: Children, Domestic, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Family, Fluff, Gen, Humor, Kid Fic, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-15
Updated: 2017-08-15
Packaged: 2018-12-15 19:51:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,642
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11813019
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShowMeAHero/pseuds/ShowMeAHero
Summary: Matt gets called down when his children get in a fight at school. He always sort of knew this day would come.





	The Same Old Story

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, I'm super fucked up by this. Obsessed.
> 
> Title taken from (and work totally inspired by) ["Father and Son"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yERildSsWxM) by Cat Stevens.

Matt did not often get phone calls while he was at the office. People tended to call the front desk, and Karen preferred to patch them through to Foggy. Matt had been caught in a bad mood more than once when she transferred a call, and, eventually, decided it was better safe than sorry. His phone had buzzed in his pocket earlier, but he hadn’t recognized the number, so he didn’t pick it up. Now, when his work phone rang, he lifted his head and gave Karen what he hoped was a confused look.

“They said it’s the school,” Karen shouted to him. “Foggy’s not back yet.” Matt frowned and picked up the phone.

“Hello?” he asked.

“Mr. Murdock?” the unfamiliar voice on the other end asked. Wait- No, not entirely unfamiliar. “This is Principal Sawyer.” Oh. Right.

“Oh,” Matt said. “Right.”

“Your husband is our primary contact, but he wasn’t answering his phone,” Principal Sawyer explained. That made sense. Foggy had gone down to the station to meet with a potential client. He probably didn’t even have his phone on him. “I’m sorry.”

“Oh, that’s fine,” Matt said. “Is everything okay?”

“I have your children down in my office,” Principal Sawyer said. Matt’s brow creased; he sat up.

“Are they okay?” Matt asked. There was a slight pause on the other end.

“They’re a little banged up,” she said. “They were in a fight.”

“Scott started it!” Jack’s voice exclaimed from somewhere near the phone. The principal held the phone away and Matt could hear her scolding him to be quiet.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Murdock,” she said apologetically. “Would you mind coming down to speak with me?”

“Of course,” Matt said, reaching for his sunglasses and rifling for his cane. “I’ll be down as soon as I can.”

“Thank you,” Principal Sawyer said. She hung up, and Matt pocketed his phone.

“Think you can hold down the fort for a little while?” Matt called to Karen, shrugging his jacket on. Her chair screeched back and he heard her stop in the entranceway to his office.

“Kids okay?” she asked, and Matt shrugged.

“They got in a fight,” Matt said. “Apparently.”

“I hope it was a good one,” Karen said. Matt grinned. “I can hold the place down. Want me to call Foggy?”

“Nah,” Matt said. “No point in worrying him. Just let him know I’ll be back soon if he beats me here.”

“Can do,” Karen said, vanishing back to her desk. The kids’ elementary school wasn’t a far walk from his office, but he hurried a little bit anyways. Foggy was the worrier, but that didn’t mean Matt didn’t get concerned. They rarely got in fights, especially fights so bad they landed in the principal’s office, and never before had they landed there at the same time. They tended to tag-team on the playground, but usually didn’t see each other enough in school for a fight. Maybe they had only fought each other and Matt could just take them home.

No such luck, as it turned out, when Matt got to the entryway to the school and was escorted to the principal’s office, which had more than three heartbeats. There was an extra child and two other adults besides himself and the principal. The room smelled like dirt and blood and apple juice. Matt frowned.

“Thank you for joining us, Mr. Murdock,” Principal Sawyer said. Molly’s small hand grabbed Matt’s wrist to lead him to the chair between her and her brother.

“So,” Matt said, seated between his two unnaturally silent children. “What happened?”

All three children started talking at once, and whatever the principal did, they went quiet again. Matt folded his cane up and tucked it into his pocket and turned towards where he guessed the other adults were.

“Matthew Murdock,” he said, holding his hand out. One of the other people reached out and shook his hand.

“Sam Stevens,” she said, “and this is my husband Stanley.”

“Pleasure,” Stanley said, shaking Matt’s hand next.

“So,” the other kid’s mom said. “What _did_ happen?”

“From what I was told,” Principal Sawyer began, “Molly here started shouting at Scott at recess. Apparently, a crowd gathered, and the two of them were exchanging verbal insults. This is when I’m told Jack arrived, spoke with his sister, and started a physical altercation between himself and Scott, which Molly then decided to also engage in.”

Matt turned his head down towards his left, where Jack sat. He could feel the movement as Jack shrugged. “She’s technically right.”

“Why’d you hit him, Jack?” Matt asked softly. He felt Jack lean forward at the same time Molly did; presumably they were trying to communicate something to one another. _“Jack.”_

“He was being mean,” Jack said simply. He crossed his arms and slumped in his seat with all the righteous indignation of an eight-year-old. Matt turned to Molly.

“Hey,” he said. “Why were you shouting at Scott?”

Matt felt Molly shift in her seat. She was quiet for a long moment, and then she said, “He started it.”

“What did he start?” Matt asked. He heard the other kid’s heart speed up a little bit, and he frowned. “Did he say something to you?”

“Uh,” Molly said. She sniffled. Matt reached out for her face, and she let him, leaning in to his palm. He swiped his thumb under her eye and tilted her head up. Fight or not, she was still only five. “I’m sorry, Daddy.”

“He was making fun of her,” Jack interjected. Matt reached out and lifted Molly into his lap.

“Was not!” Scott shouted, and Jack was already on his feet.

“Was too!” Jack shrieked. Matt reached out and wrapped his hand around his son’s wrist.

“Jack, sit down,” Matt instructed. Jack wavered for a moment before sitting down on the very edge of his seat. “Was he making fun of Molly?”

“He was,” Jack said. “That’s what Molly said.”

Matt turned his attention back to Molly. “Did Scott make fun of you?”

She nodded her little head against his chest. Matt set her back on his leg a little bit so she could see his face. “He came up to me when I was reading at recess and closed my book and pushed it into the dirt. He said I had no friends and nobody wanted to sit with me anyways because everyone hates me because I have special classes.” She stopped, sniffled. Matt tried to will himself to not beat up a six-year-old. “He tried to take out my hearing aids.”

Matt reached for her ears and found both hearing aids in place. “Did he take them?”

“No,” she said. “I slapped his hands away and started yelling at him.”

“And then Jack showed up?” Matt asked, and she nodded again. Matt shifted towards his son. “Is that true?”

“She didn’t tell me all that,” Jack said. “She told me he pushed her book and made fun of her-”

“That’s because you didn’t keep listening,” Molly interrupted. “You just punched him.”

“You punched him, too,” Jack argued.

“Yeah, ‘cause I didn’t want you to lose,” Molly said. Matt stroked his hand through her hair.

“You tried to take her hearing aids?” Jack asked, and the other boy turned to one of his parents. Jack stood up again. “You’re a piece of shit!”

“Whoa, Jack,” Matt said, tugging his son back. “Language. Don’t say things like that.”

“But he _is,”_ Jack said emphatically. Matt pulled his son back to his side.

“Is what Molly said true, Scott?” Principal Sawyer asked.

“No,” the little boy replied.

“Yes, it is, Scott!” Jack shouted over him, before he had even finished.

“Is it true, Scott?” Sam said, and whatever expression was on her son’s face was enough for her. “Jesus Christ, kid.”

“Why?” Stanley said. It sounded like the kid shrugged.

“Nobody _does_ like her,” Scott mumbled, and Jack rocketed out of his seat and across the small office before Matt could catch him. Molly leapt from Matt’s lap to yank her older brother back.

“Enough!” the principal shouted, and the three children fell silent. “You, sit down.” Matt heard Jack shuffle back over and take his seat again. “Molly, come here.”

Matt reached out and squeezed his daughter’s hand when she reached back for him.

“Yeah?” Molly asked. It sounded like she was sniffling again. Matt squeezed her hand a second time.

“Molly, is what you said true?” Principal Sawyer asked. Matt felt Molly’s hair move as she nodded her head. “Jack?”

“Yeah,” Jack said. “She’s telling the truth.”

Matt could hear both of their heartbeats: fast, but steady. They were telling the truth.

“Scott, is what Molly just said true?” Principal Sawyer asked. The kid made a scoffing sound.

“So _what?”_ Scott said. The principal sighed.

“Mr. Murdock, would you like your children to return to class or would you like to take them home?” Principal Sawyer asked. Molly turned to Matt and wrapped her arms around his neck.

“I’ll take them home,” Matt said.

“I’m so sorry,” Sam said, as Matt stood with Molly hanging off of him.

“We’ll be in touch once we figure out Scott’s punishment and how we’ll separate them once he returns,” Principal Sawyer said. “I’m sorry you had to come all the way down.”

“It’s alright,” Matt said. He scooped Molly in one arm to better support her and took Jack’s hand with his other. He let Jack lead him from the office back to their respective classrooms for their backpacks and lunchboxes, then out the front door of the school. They walked in silence for a bit, back towards Matt’s office. Molly sniffled against Matt’s neck, and Matt stroked her hair back. Jack carried both his and his sister’s lunchboxes and backpacks, unwilling to let Matt help.

“Molly, you know what that boy said isn’t true, right?” Matt eventually said. It killed him to hear her crying, to know she tried to stand up for herself, to hear a little boy say such terrible things about her.

“I don’t have any friends,” Molly said softly. “He’s right.”

“You have friends!” Jack exclaimed before Matt could even reply. “What about Sydney, and Robin, and Mark, and Alysha, and- and- Everyone! They all like you, Molly. He’s just jealous ‘cause you’re popular and smart and he’s stupid and dumb.”

“Jack,” Matt warned, but he honestly felt the same way. “You have plenty of friends, Molly. Your brother’s right. He’s jealous of you.”

“He’s still mean,” Molly sniffed.

“He’s definitely still mean,” Matt agreed. He could hear Karen’s heartbeat getting closer as he approached the office, and could hear Foggy’s, as well, slightly elevated, meaning he had returned and was probably working himself up into a frenzy over what could have possibly happened at school. Which reminded Matt of the blood he could smell on his children. “Does anyone have any cuts or bruises?”

“I think Jack’s got a black eye,” Molly offered. Jack seemed to shrug.

“Molly’s got a busted lip,” he said, “and a bloody nose.”

“You got a bloody nose, too,” Molly laughed. Jack grinned up at her.

“Matchy-matchy,” he said, and his sister giggled again. When they reached the office, Matt set Molly down on her feet just as Foggy threw open the door.

“What did you two do?” Foggy demanded, and Molly, still laughing, threw herself at his knees. “Jesus, kid, why are you covered in blood? You’re filthy.”

“Jack and I beat up Scott Stevens because he’s a bully,” Molly explained. Matt heard Foggy turned his head towards Matt.

“I’ll explain,” Matt said. He reached down and pulled the bags off his son and handed them off. “We’ll be right up. Why don’t you take Molly up to Karen and see if she has any Ninja Turtle band-aids left?”

“Yes!” Molly exclaimed, apparently back to normal.

“We’ll be right up,” Matt said, when Foggy hesitated. Foggy took Molly’s hand and led her back inside, and Matt kneeled down in front of Jack. “Hey.”

“I’m not sorry,” Jack said instantly. Matt put his hands on Jack’s shoulders, blew out a breath, then tugged him in for a hug. Jack hesitated, then turned his face into Matt’s throat, wrapping his arms around his father’s neck. “Am I in trouble?”

“No,” Matt told him. He pulled back a little and reached out, cupping his son’s face in his palm. He could feel the swelling of his eye under his fingertips. “You’re not in trouble. Why did you punch him?”

“Because he was being mean to Molly,” Jack said. “I don’t like bullies. Especially not when they’re picking on my sister.”

Matt reached up and smoothed Jack’s hair back from his face. “I’m proud of you for standing up for her, and for yourself. I don’t want you to keep getting in fights, though.”

“Why not?” Jack said.

“Because you’ll get hurt again,” Matt told him. “If there’s a problem, tell someone else. Tell an adult. They’ll help you.”

“Not always,” Jack said. “And what if I can handle it myself? Shouldn’t I just do it?”

Listening to his son, Matt had an abrupt feeling of empathy for Foggy. “It’s okay to need help sometimes.”

“I can handle myself,” Jack argued. “I want to help.”

“I know,” Matt said. He reached out and pulled Jack in again, stroking his hair back, burying his face at the crown of his head. Jack hugged him back. “You remind me a lot of myself.”

“That’s a good thing,” Jack said, “isn’t it?”

Matt kissed the top of his son’s head. “Sometimes.” He pulled back and stood again, reaching out to take his son’s hand. “Did you eat lunch at school?”

“No,” Jack told him. “I left lunch when I heard Molly yelling outside at baby recess.”

“Maybe we still have Karen’s leftover casserole from Monday,” Matt suggested, leading his son up the stairs, and Jack made a fake retching sound.

 _“No,”_ Jack said. “I want to go hungry.”

“Don’t let her hear you say that,” Matt laughed. He pushed open the door to their office and let Jack sprint to his sister and immediately start trying to steal the cupcake out of her lunchbox. Matt lingered in the door until Foggy came up to him.

“Molly told me just about everything,” Foggy said. “I would’ve pushed that kid in the dirt, too.”

“I thought the same thing,” Matt said. “But we have to be good examples.”

“I know.” Foggy sighed. “It sucks.”

“It does,” Matt agreed. He listened to Foggy’s heartbeat grow steady as he watched their children bicker while Karen split the cupcake in half with a plastic knife. “I tried to talk to Jack about fighting.”

“And?” Foggy asked. Matt rubbed at his temple.

“He wants to help,” Matt told him. Foggy paused for a long moment.

“Of course he does,” he said, eventually. He took Matt’s hand. “Those Murdock boys. They got the Devil in ‘em.” He hesitated. “He’s not going to wear tights and fight crime, though.”

“I don’t know, Foggy,” Matt said. “I have been looking for a sidekick.”

“Over my _dead body_ will you make my children your Robins,” Foggy said. He shut the door behind them and left Matt behind. “Hey! Who wants to be a pacifist?”

“A _what?”_ Molly asked as Jack shouted, “Not me!” and Foggy groaned loudly.

“You both should have taken after me,” Foggy said, stealing a piece of cupcake from Jack. Matt leaned against the wall and listened to them arguing playfully with Foggy. “Your father is a menace.”

“Untrue,” Matt said. Molly hopped over to him and grabbed his hand.

“I saved you a Fruit Gusher, Daddy,” Molly whispered.

“Thanks,” Matt whispered back, taking the sticky snack in his hand and letting Molly lead him to her little picnic on the floor. Work could wait.

**Author's Note:**

> You can follow me on Twitter at [@nicoIodeon](https://twitter.com/nicoIodeon) or on Tumblr at [andillwriteyouatragedy](http://andillwriteyouatragedy.tumblr.com/).


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